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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bear · dip · perch · pitcher · bank · rash · squash · degree

  1. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't do anything ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. degree — an amount
  2. rash — a series
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. bear — the animal
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. degree — temperature
  7. bank — of a river
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. squash — the sport
  10. squash — to crush
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. bear — the animal
  14. bank — for money
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. rash — hasty
  18. degree — from a university
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. perch — the fish
  22. bank — for money
  23. dip — to sink
  24. squash — the vegetable

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com